Upholstery padding



April 30, 1940. N. P. SCHREINER UPHOLSTERY PADDING Filed Dec. 23, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l W P. Aixw T l-i Ap 1940- N. P. SCHREINER 2,198,724

UPHOLSTER-Y PADDING Filed Dec. 23, 1957 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i J- :Ilf l Q Patented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UPHOLSTERY PADDING Norval P. Schreiner, Springfield, Mo.

Application December 23, 1937, Serial No. 181,347

Claims.

This invention relates to upholstery padding and particularly to such padding having ventilaion provisions.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide i resilient main cushion portion of straticulate ormation adapted to furnish a uniformly pringy support for a superposed surface cushion iortion, with the further object of providing 'entilation means whereby air may pass freely hrough such main cushion portion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lOl'OllS, aerated surface portion over which the usual upholstering material is to be placed, the naterial and structure of such surface portion eing of a nature that provides a comfortable. leat dissipating medium adapted to relieve exessive temperatures induced by the person siting or reclining thereon.

A further object of my invention is to provide .n integral reinforcing medium having the muliple purpose of: first, providing a substantially ion-stretchable base portion which may be eadily and securely attached at its edges to urniture framework or other support by such imple expedients as nails, staples, rivets, stitchng, etc., whereby the padding may be securely leld in proper position or whereby the padding nay be made into tubing, pillows, reversible ushions, mattresses, etc., by attaching juxtavosed padding edges togetherby similar means; econd, providing a seating for the underlying oil springs or other major spring means and eing adapted to resist the chafing, gouging and caring eilfects of such springs as well as being .dapted to prevent bagging or sagging between uch spring supports; and third, providing a means whereby underlying springs may be eadily attached directly to the padding in their roper disposition by clips, staples, stitches or therwise.

A further object of my invention is to provide means to prevent the closure of the vents in the main cushion portion when the padding is de- :ressed.

An additional objective is the provision of means to prevent slipping, bunching, thinning or eparation of the surface padding material and o prevent shedding and sifting of such material, 5 well as displacement, distortion and excessive tretching of the main cushion portion.

Closely associated with the last two objectives 5 the additional purpose of preventing the surace padding material from wedding into the cuts of the main cushion portion.

coincidental with these objectives is the promoss or palm fibre.

In this respect is the additional desideratum of providing a unitary padding which may be thinned or bevelled at the edges while at the same time retaining the principal provisions herein outlined. Also is the related purpose of providing such a padding having means whereby various kinds of edge formations may be made by cutting, trimming, slicing or otherwise preparing such 90 Edges to adapt the padding to desired applicaions.

For a full understanding of my invention reference is bad to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my padding.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my padding.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of my reinforcing base material.

Figures 5 to 13 inclusive are diagrammatic vertical cross sectional views showing various manners in which my padding material may be prepared for use and some of the different applications for which it is adapted.

Fig. 5 shows one method of shaping and fastening my padding.

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show methods of forming the edge of my padding for different applications.

Fig. 10 shows an application of my padding after being shaped as indicated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 shows an application of my padding after being prepared in the manner indicated in Fig. 6, and also shows how tufting may be employed in connection with upholstery cover material.

Fig. 12 shows a manner of fastening juxtaposed edges of my padding material subsequent I to shaping as shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 13 shows how the padding material may be fastened in juxtaposed relation after preparing as indicated in Fig. 8.

In further detail I have provided (Fig. 1) a main cushion portion, I, consisting of a layer of resilient material such as sponge rubber or the like having vertically disposed ventilation conduits, 2, tapering in width from bottom to top. Near the lower surface of the main cushion portion I have provided a friction sheeting 3, of fabric or corded structure. Such reinforcing medium is shown separately in Fig. 4. It will be understood that other patterns or systems of weaving or arranging the strands or cords forming the reinforcing medium may be used in this respect, as for instance an open mesh or laced effect. It will be noted that a relatively thin layer of the main cushion material i is disposed below the reinforcing medium.

It is here observed that such fabric structure is preferably impregnated with tough rubber to facilitate adhesion of the parts and to provide inseparability of the stands whereby ravelling or tearing is prevented.

Partially embedded in the upper surface of the main cushion portion i is a surface padding portion 4, comprising a layer of curled hair or the like. It will be noted that this material extends continuously across the ventilation conduits 2 of the main cushion portion.

It is here observed that the curled hair composing the surface padding may be rubberized or otherwise reinforced throughout the lower portion of such surface padding, as indicated in Fig. 3, if desired; that is, a portion of the surface padding adjacent the main cushion as well as that portion which is embedded therein may be rubberized or otherwise treated to stiffen the fibres.

With reference to the diagrammatical views 5 to 13 inclusive it is noted that various methods of shaping and attaching my material to furniture may be employed and various contours obtained by preparing the material at its edges in the manners shown. It will be noted that provision for fastening is made by removing a portion of the main cushion material above the fabric to provide a relative thin marginal portion at, (Figs. 5 to 9 incl.). In Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive the dotted lines a, b, c indicated the original shape of the padding prior to forming the edge, the enclosed portion being removed in forming the cross-sectional shapes depicted.

In Fig. 5 is shown one method of cutting and bevelling the edge and a method of fastening to the perforate metal support 5 by rivets 6. Fig. 6 shows preparation suitable to applications such as indicated in Fig. 11, in which nails 8 are employed to secure the material to the frame 9. In Fig. 11 a central support of screen is indicated by the numeral l0. Fig. 11 also shows how tufting may be employed in connection with upholstering (cover) material. The covering material i5 is bound to the padding by tufting cord I6, and has its marginal portion secured in any suitable manner. Fig. 7 shows how the material may be shaped to fasten as in Fig. 10.. In thisinstance an intermediate V shaped portion of the main cushion material is removed leaving a pro-- jecting portion (11, Fig. '7) of such material. In this case the surface padding material is trimmed to a bevel. It will be noted that by this procedure a secure fastening is had through the portion which contains the reinforcing fabric, (a:, Fig. 7) while the cushioning and aerating effects of the main cushion portion and the surface cushion portion are retained up to the extreme edge, where it is secured as in Fig. 10 by nails 8 to support 1. In preparing the material for use in pillows,

reversible cushions and the like in which sprin members are to be used, methods indicated 1 Figs. 8 and 9 are applicable, Fig. 8 indicating preparation for assembly as shown in Fig. l and Fig. 9 showing a formation suitable for u: as in Fig. 12. In Fig. 13 the thinned portions Fig. 8) containing the fabric are stitched in base to base relation at l3. This operation is con veniently accomplished with the spring membei in place by depressing the springs to bring th upper and lower pads close together. after stitch ing or otherwise securing the edges and upo releasing the springs the padding will assume tb contour indicated in Fig. 13 and the lateral prc jections of the surface padding (2, Fig. 8) will i: forced together to form a smooth juncture.

In Fig. 9 a V shaped portion of the main cushio material is removed and the upper part of th remaining cushion material 1 is shortened, whil the surface padding is trimmed to extend lateral] over the edge of 1 at 2. In Fig. 12 the materlz thus prepared is joined by overlapping th thinned portions (:c, Fig. 9) and stitched at Ii after which the extended portions (y, 2, Fig. 9 are adjusted in abutting relation and loose] stitched at I.

In Figures 10, 12 and 13 springs II are show held in position by clips I! which penetrate th main cushion portion and engage the reinforcin fabric 3. 1

It will be noted in Fig. 10 that in tufting th cord indents the softer main cushion materic below the reinforcing fabric thereby providing non-chafing seat for the cord at its point of en gagement with the reinforcing fabric, while th indentation of the cord into the softer materia of the lower surface at I! serves to protect th cord from wear and tear from abrasive contac with springs or other supports.

Due to its desirability as a resilient materia many attempts have been made to utilize spong rubber in the construction of upholstery padding cushions, etc. but when used as a surface paddins in close proximity to the body of the person sit ting or reclining thereon, it is found objectionabl in view of its heat absorbing and retaining char acteristics which resultin a very uncomfortabl cushion or mattress. Ventilation means are ii evidence as efforts to dissipate the heat generatei by the body in contact with such a cushion bu such devices do not provide a complete circulatioi of air throughout the surface area when in us due to the absence of surface ventilation pro visions, and consequently the inherent heat re taining characteristics of the material are no obviated.

In my invention I have utilized therein as a surface material, curled hair or the like in view 0 its heat dissipating qualities together with it known desirability as a soft, springy, aeratini material. Through the incorporation of a portioi of this surface padding with the sponge rubbe: I have eliminated several objections usually as sociated with curled hair as a padding material 1. e. separation; bunching, wadding, thinning sifting, etc., which are especially evident whei curled hair is loosely superposed over sponge rub ber or the like. Excessive stretching of the rub ber under such conditions and consequent dis location of the curled hair together with attendant wadding of the hair into the openings 0: perforate rubber cushions render such proceduri entirely impracticable.

My incorporation of the hair with the rubbei prevents undue stretching of the rubber by re nforcing it laterally; obviates the wadding of the iair into the openings in the rubber and at the same time prevents closure of the holes in the ubber, thereby assuring proper circulation of air ,hrough the openings of the main cushion portion nto the porous, aerated surface portion throughiut which it is freely permeated to provide a cool, :omfortable surface.

Cotton or felt batting, loosely superposed over ,he curled hair, has been proposed in an efiort 0 retain the hair in proper disposition but such )rocedure destroys the effectiveness of the hair nasmuch as the cotton or felt batting is not sufll- :iently air pervious to provide proper circulation md retains heat and moisture to the discomort of the user and is detrimental to upholsterng (covering) material through absorption of :erspiration.

It will be observed that through my unitary :onsolidation I have provided a padding material which preserves the desirable features of arch materials as sponge rubber and curled hair while at the same time eliminating their objeczionable features, and through the integral asso-' :iation of these materials with my reinforcing nedium I have accomplished a number of pur- )oses heretofore unachieved.

It will be noted that I have provided a tough, :ubberized friction material 3 as a base and have ncorporated such material in the main cushion portion l in such a manner as to provide a thin layer of the soft main cushion, material below such fabricwhereby an anti-chafing seat is provided for the springs or other support, thereby :liminating slipping, rubbing and chafing and :onsequent wear, while the fabric provides a case which is resistant to puncture and tearing by spring parts or the like.

I claim:

1. An upholstery padding comprising a layer :1 sponge rubber or the like, said layer having incorporated therein near its lower surface a sheet of fabric, a portion of said rubber forming an anti-friction base portion below said fabric, said layer of rubber and said fabric having vertically disposed conduits therein, and a layer of curled hair or the like in superposed relation to said rubber, a portion of said hair being embedded in said rubber, a portion of said hair spanning said vertically disposed conduits to provide a connective medium across said conduits.

2. An upholstery padding comprising a layer of sponge rubber or the like, a layer of fabric or the like integrally associated with said rubber and interposed between the lower and upper surfaces of said rubber to form a consolidated reinforced main cushion portion, said main cushion portion having air passages extending vertically therethrough, and a layer of hair or the like, said layer of hair having a portion thereof interposed with said rubber to form an integral part thereof, said hair extending across said air passages, a portion of such extended hair being continuous with said interposed layer.

3. In an upholstery padding a layer of sponge rubber or the like having vertically disposed conduits therein, and a layer of curled hair or the like,said hair being in superposed relation to said rubber and having its lower surface incorporated with the upper surface of said rubber, said hair extending across said conduits, and the lower surface of such extended portion being continuous with the portion incorporated with the upper surface of the said rubber.

4. In a straticulate upholstery padding a layer of sponge rubber or the like, said layer having vertically disposed air conduits and a superposed layer of curled hair or the like, said layers being integrally associated with each other, said layer of curled hair being continuous across said air conduits.

5. In an upholstery padding a layer of perforate sponge rubber or the like and a layer of curled hair or the like, said layer of curled hair being integrally associated with said layer of rubber, said layer of curled hair being continuous across the perforations of said rubber and forming a connective medium across said perforations whereby to anchor the walls of'such perforations against distortion.

NORVAL P. 

